Parc naturel régional des Préalpes d'Azur

The Parc naturel régional des Préalpes d'Azur spreads across the foothills of the Alps in the Alpes-Maritimes, north of the Côte d'Azur. It spans nearly ninety-six thousand hectares and takes in forty-seven municipalities, among them Grasse, Vence, Tourrettes-sur-Loup and Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey. Protected since 2012, it climbs in steps from the coastal plains to ridges near one thousand five hundred metres. The Var river bounds it to the north and east. Mediterranean and Alpine environments overlap within its borders.

Limestone underlies most of the park's ground, and water has worn it into plateaus, gorges and caves. The plateaus of Calern, Caussols and Saint-Bernabé lie between one thousand and one thousand two hundred metres. The Loup carves the Gorges du Loup with its waterfalls. The Estéron valley is heavily forested, and its river forms deep gorges such as the Clue de Saint-Auban. The Montagne du Cheiron reaches one thousand seven hundred seventy-eight metres. More than two thousand plant species grow here, roughly a third of France's plant varieties. Some grottos shelter rare species, Orsini's viper among them.

Traditional hilltop villages like Gourdon preserve medieval architecture and gardens. Farmers still keep bees and press olive oil here, working alongside the conservation effort. You can hike, cycle, go canyoning or explore caves across the six landscape zones. The rivers run clear, with natural pools and waterfalls, the Estéron above all. From the southwestern hills, between five hundred and seven hundred metres, you look down on the Côte d'Azur and the sea.